Is this WWII topic overused?
Let me restate your question. How to Make an audience see YOUR point that there are still interesting debateable points. And as I tell anyone - - - - YES - - - if you are talented enough any topic can be electrifying.
That said what can be deabted about Pearl Harbor? Why Pearl Harbor? Why Did the Japanesse bomb Pearl Harbor and What If The Japanesse had stayed with their original plans? Would America have emerged as a Superpower if Japan had done the sensible thing and not bombed Pearl Harbor?
First up forget all this rumbling about embargos etc. Cuba has been under embargos since the late 1950's, Iran since the 70's. Yes there was tension between Japan and America but that is beside the point.
The point is this. Japan planned on carrying out operations against British and Dutch and French and Etc Colonies in Asia. They figured this would anger America but so what, America had so far resisted calls by its President to intervene in Europe, so why should America intervene in Asia?
Japan planned on seizing Singapore, Indonesia, Malaya, Etc, and for strategic reasons were 'forced' to put Guam, an American Territory on the List. The Philipines was iffy, nut certain Japanese recjoned that if they attacked The Phillipines, Americans might still 'ignore' them for a while if not completely.
THEN an Admiral Yamamoto (who once attended Harvard) laid out this 'brilliant plan.' Every tie a can to a goat's tail. Yammoto actually sold the High Command on a Premptive Strike on the American Fleet at anchor a mere two thousand miles from America's western shores. A sneak attack on a Sunday morning when most good Americans would be in church enroute to a football game.
The original Japanese war plan was to avoid Anerica as long as possible and when no longer possible engage the American Fleet in the Deep Waters of the South or Central Pacific. Japan's Nine Aircraft Carriers with experienced crews against Four Aircraft Carriers with well trained but battle green crews.
Yamamoto's plan was carried out. An attack on mostly obsolete battleships in a shallow harbor known for having the best shipyard in The Pacific, The Japanese aircrews were not told to destroy the shipyard. Nor were they given the task of bombing a petroleum farm, a high tech marvel that is stil in use circa 2007. In fact when Japanesse planes plastered the Pennsylvania in drydock the dock itself was not destroyed.
Pearl Harbor broke Isolationism. There was no argument about declaring War on Japan. Americans hate waking up on a Sunday hearing someone sneaked in and bomb their ships and in Hawai'i, yikes. America was Mad. Mad enough to Kick Japan across the Pacific, Island by Island, stripoping Japan of an Island empire a century spent in the making, until Japan was forced to surrender, her cities %26amp; cultural shrines in ruins.
IF Japan had not bombed Pearl Harnor would FDR been abe to persuade Congress to go to war for Guam or the Phillipines? How many months would the debate have lasted? And Hitler Declared War on America as a result of Pearl Habor. A typical stupid boneheaded Fuhrer move. Without Pearl Harbor, with Hitler's Declaration of War with America, when would America have entered World War Two.
You can run with that. You are right to argue for topics of your choosing, your task is to make others ask for more.
Peace...
Is this WWII topic overused?
Thanks - - - my office overlooks Pearl Harbor!
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Well if it is overused,
Try operation Barbarossa.
The invasion of Russia by the Germans.
Readily available info.
War on 2 fronts, etc...
You could use the embargo that was placed on Japan prier to the attack on Pearl; The Nation of Japan was an ally of the US until the war broke out in Europe and the Middle East you no all that Nazi stuff.
If you want an %26quot;off the wall%26quot; paper, try something on the Middle East or South America during the second world war. What makes it a little more interesting is that a lot of people don;t think to consider how these areas were affected by the %26quot;big kids%26quot; taking a whack at one another. If your instructor is looking for something original, it's a good place to start.
Yea, wow. That last argument makes a person wonder.
If the Japs had not bombed Pearl Harbor, maybe America
wouldn't have had the moral conviction to save her colonies
and go after the axis. Hell, we never went after the commies
with that much gusto in either Korea or Vietnam. If the
Chinese invaded Taiwan would the American people rally?
The American people hardly rallied after 9/11. It's a much
different country. Perhaps if Japan did not attack Pearl
Harbor America would have hesitated as it did before and
many times after. I'll bet you'll receive alot of flak over a paper
like that. But the previous writer made a very convincing
argument to anybody who has an open mind.
